Southwest Kansas Catholic Vol. XLIV No. 17 dcdiocese.org/swkscatholic The Newspaper of the Diocese of Dodge City Sunday, December 22, 2019 NEWS OF GREAT JOY! The Most Rev. John B. Brungardt, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Dodge City “The angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David, a Savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord.’” -- Luke 2:10-11 harles Schultz, the genius writer of the comic strip series “Peanuts,” wrote Ca classic video enti tled “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” The boy Charlie Brown is questi oning just what is the true meaning of Christmas. Aft er reciti ng from Luke’s gospel (2:8-14), his friend Linus says: “That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.” Yes, Christmas is about the Good News, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus loves us so much, that He came to this earth as a child. He grew, taught us to love, died on the cross to take away our sins, and rose from the dead to open the gates of heaven. Salvati on in Jesus – that is Good News! Yes, Christmas is about Great Joy, this love of the Christ Child for us. The peace, happiness, and joy that we so desperately seek is found in this litt le boy. Jesus is or to us a Child is born, our brother, our friend, our Savior. He is our refuge in ti mes of illness, suff ering, or to us a Son is given ... temptati on. Jesus – He brings us Joy! The cast of “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and His name will be called concludes with the exhortati on: “Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown!”, then they sing “Wonderful Counselor, “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.” I conclude similarly: “Merry Christmas, faithful of the Mighty God, Everlasting Diocese!” May we open our hearts to receive Baby Jesus’ joyful message! Father, Prince of Peace.” + Bishop John -- Isaiah 9:6 Page 2 December 22, 2019 The Southwest Kansas Catholic The one thing o celebrate Christmas properly, T the single thing we really need is “Faith.” But Faith is hard to come by when our normal reasons for believing crumble. Those who helped us to believe in the first place, they may themselves fail. Most of the Catholics we know Most Rev. may fall well short of Ronald M. Gilmore how they should act. Bishop Emeritus of The Church herself may Dodge City seem to go fuzzy on the essential revealed Truths, and all that they imply for our living in Christ. These things happen. That is why it is important to understand that all our secondary reasons for believing are helpful, to be sure, but they are not crucial to the act of Faith. They are not fi nally the decisive reason why we believe. That is to be found in the invisible Spirit, and in His secret work within Bishop John Brungardt us. We believe because God himself reveals that Bishop Emeritus Ronald Gilmore He loved us into existence, that He loves us in the unfolding of our Redempti on, and that He will love us forever in Heaven. That broke upon us when He Sister Diane Leary, former walked among us. We caught a glimpse of it before we blinked. It is His Word that is utt erly reliable SMPC professor, coach, dies Mar� did you know that your … not the word of your parents, not the word of baby boy will one day walk your teachers, not the word of your priests. It is His ister Diane (Marianne) Leary, Aquinas High School in Promise that you can take to the bank. SCSJ, 85, who served as a Kansas City, Kansas. on water? So, if you fi nd your Faith fraying aft er this hard professor, coach and athletic In 1979 she was Mar� did you know that your year, accept it as a penance, but do not give it up. director at St. Mary of the appointed Assistant In Bapti sm, Faith was poured over you like the Plains College, died Dec. 10, Professor of History baby boy will save our waters, without your doing anything. It was the 2019. The Mass of Christian and head coach sons and daughters? seed planted in you, and it has grown, we hope, to burial was celebrated at o f w o m e n ’ s become your habitual way of looking at the world. Resurrecti on Chapel at athletics at Did you know that your baby Faith is the open door through which you begin Mt. St. Mary’s Convent St. Mary of boy has come to make you new? your return to God. In Faith, you gather up the Dec. 18. Internment was the Plains best that is in you, and you give it away to the God in the sisters’ cemetery. i n D o d g e This child that you’ve delivered, who made you, and who redeems you. Sister Diane was born C i t y . A will soon deliver you.... “The Kingdom of God is near, repent, and believe in Newton, Mass., April 28, 1934, milestone in Kansas college Lyrics by Buddy Greene, this Good News.” Especially now, in this blessed Mark Lowry the daughter of Louis and Isabelle athleti cs occurred in 1983 when Christmas Season. Griffi n Leary. Sister Diane became the state’s After graduating high school, fi rst woman to be head athleti c she was accepted and spent two director at a college. years at Sargent College of Physical Following the closing of St. Educati on and Physical Therapy at Mary of the Plains in 1992, Sister Boston University, then another Diane accepted a position at two years conti nuing her studies Newman University in Wichita at B.U. while working as a technical where she served at various ti mes librarian and writer at Sylvania as Associate Professor of history, Missile Systems Laboratory. She girls’ volleyball coach and Director entered the Sisters of St. Joseph of Athleti cs. Upon completi ng her of Wichita in September 1956, ministry at Newman University received the habit in March in 2005 she pursued a two-year 1957, followed by First and Final intercultural ministry in Malawi, Professions in 1959 and 1962. Central Africa, to teach and Her bachelor’s degree was provide academic and personal completed at St. Mary of the Plains counseling for young women of College in Dodge City with a degree high school age. in history and physical educati on, Aft er returning from Malawi she all while teaching and coaching in resided at Catholic Care Center elementary and junior high schools in Wichita then moved to the in Wichita, Chanute and Pitt sburg Congregation Center at Mt. St. in Kansas. After completing a Mary’s Convent. She was preceded master’s degree in European in death by her parents. In additi on and Russian history with a minor to members of her religious in counseling from Creighton congregati on, she is survived by University, she continued her two cousins, Edward Hettinger teaching and coaching career at of Marblehead, Mass., and Louis the high school level. Hetti nger of Ashburn, Va. Sister Diane was instrumental Memorials in her name may be in establishing girls’ athletic made to Dear Neighbor Ministry programs at Bishop Carroll High or the Sisters of St. Joseph School in Wichita and St. Thomas Reti rement Fund. Dave, The secti on in the SKC under Protecti ng God’s Children – Abuse Hotline, the phone number that is listed there for the Kansas Department for Children and Families Protecti on Report Center is incorrect. It should be 800-922-5330 Janeé Bernal, Director of Matrimony, Family Life, and NFP, will sadly be leaving the Dodge City Diocese at the end of May. Though this has been a wonderful positi on and has fueled her passion for evangelizati on, the Lord has called her and her family down another path. She has been hired as the new Assistant Principal at Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic School in Wichita. Her husband, Jesse, and their three children will be moving to Wichita someti me in June. Janeé wants to thank the people of the Dodge City Diocese for their generosity and kindness during the past year. She said, “The Diocese of Dodge City has been a wonderful place to grow up and to serve. It has taught me the importance of serving others as a missionary disciple. I will truly miss the rural hospitality and especially the priests and religious sisters that I’ve been able to call friends.” Natural Family Planning/Ferti lity Awareness: Diana Ramirez (Dodge City) and Allison Ricke (Pratt ) conti nue their training as Ferti lityCare Practi ti oner Interns. To register or request an Introductory Session on Natural Family Planning in English or Spanish, please contact Diana Ramirez at: 620-227-1546 Upcoming Introductory Sessions: Wednesday, May 15, 2019 ABC Pregnancy Center (Garden City) English 6:00pm The Southwest Kansas Catholic December 22, 2019 Page 3 The one thing ‘I remember El Salvador’ Archbishop Romero paid the ulti mate price for condemning injusti ce By CHARLENE SCOTT MYERS him, and his casket was placed in front of the Southwest Kansas Catholic cathedral so the poor and the rich could visit everal years ago, I worked as director of and honor him in his casket. Sthe Peace and Justi ce offi ce located on I visited the casket twice, and cried along the grounds of the University of Tulsa in the with the Salvadorians, as I am crying now, state of Oklahoma.